David Ortiz’s condition is of utmost concern to all of Major League Baseball.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred addressed the shooting of the Boston Red Sox legend in an interview he gave to the Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham. Manfred describes Ortiz’s shooting in the simplest term and wished him the best in his recovery from his injuries.
“What happened to David is a tragedy,” Manfred said. “There’s no other word for it. We never like to see something like this happen to one of our players. Obviously, he’s been a very important player to us for a very long time. Obviously, we hope he has a speedy recovery.”
Manfred is among a host of MLB personalities who have expressed support for Ortiz over the last seven-plus days. The Red Sox held a moment of reflection for Ortiz last Monday, and infielder Eduardo Nunez spoke briefly to him later in the week. Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Gregory Polanco honored Ortiz on Sunday by wearing custom cleats, which bore an illustration of his face and his “Big Papi” nickname.
Ortiz, 43, sustained a gunshot wound in his back last Sunday in his native Dominican Republic after he was attacked in an apparent murder-for-hire plot. He underwent surgery in the Dominican Republic before being transferred to Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital last Monday night for additional surgery. Ortiz’s wife, Tiffany, has been providing updates, which suggest he’s on the road to recovery.
Authorities in the Dominican Republic have indicted nine suspects believed to be involved in the shooting, and a 10th turned himself in to the police.
